January can suck the wind from our sails in the best of years, but this is not just any January – it’s our very first pandemic January. This doesn’t necessarily mean it will be worse than ever. Life can be gloriously contrary and you might end up having a pleasant, cosy month. But there’s no denying that, even among those who aren’t grieving or recovering from infection, COVID burnout is real and as contagious as the virus itself. No one should beat themselves up about feeling fatigued right now.
Burnout was already doing a swift trade before the pandemic came along, steadily spreading as technology allowed everyone to carry their inboxes in their pockets. The term was even added to the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases in 2019, listed as the result of “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”. Symptoms include a sense of, “energy depletion or exhaustion... increased mental distance from one’s job… negativism or cynicism related to one’s job” and feeling less efficient and effective at doing said job. That wading-through-treacle sensation feels painfully familiar right now.
Bu hikaye BBC Focus - Science & Technology dergisinin January 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye BBC Focus - Science & Technology dergisinin January 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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